My Spy

Stars: Dave Bautista, Chloe Coleman, Kristen Schaal, Parisa Fitz-Henley, Ken Jeong, Nicola Correia-Damude, Greg Bryk ,Devere Rogers, Noah Danby

Director: Peter Segal

It's taken a malicious virus to achieve what SMERSH has constantly failed to achieve - coronavirus has forced 007 to postpone the release of his latest cinematic outing from February to November.

So while you're waiting for Bond, why not welcome an entertaining alternative spy show which finds hardened CIA operative Bautista who, having been demoted after an unfortunate misfire in an abandoned nuclear plant in the Ukraine, is downgraded and sentenced to watch 9-year-old Coleman's family in Chicago.

Initially unfortunately for him (but ultimately fortunately for his career), when the cinematically precocious tot discovers the cameras planted in her family apartment, Bautista ends up completely under Coleman's thumb and eventually enjoys it, as he and Coleman (who, just to prove she is superior to the average Hollywood kid actor, speaks French) bond and bring the Bad Guys to justice...

Fortunately for him, Bautista soon accepts that 'spycraft requires finesse' and happily plays 006 to Coleman's riff on 007.

Armed with Erich Hoeber and Jon Hoeber's amusing and agreeably unpretentious screenplay, director Segal keeps the show moving fast and funny, eliciting attractive key performances (Bautista realises he hasn't a chance to outshine Coleman and plays his role accordingly). And the climactic action sequence - a genuine cliffhanger - wouldn't disgrace an 007 epic.

Alan Frank

USA 2020. UK Distributor: STX Entertainment . Colour.
99 minutes. Widescreen. UK certificate: 12A.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 0, Violence/Horror 1, Drugs 0, Swearing 0.

Review date: 11 Apr 2020